# Corn cob life



## kbiv (Jul 30, 2010)

Just wondering how long a cob can last. Whats the oldest one in your collection? Any tips on making them last? I've had mine for two years, but only smoke once a week or so, so I don't think that can be a fair trial.


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## JCinPA (Jul 14, 2012)

OK, since I'm kinda new, I don't have a definitive answer for you, but here are a couple of bits of evidence that should convince you they can last a very long time, indeed.

1. They sell replacement stems, but not replacement bowls. All new cob pipes come with a stem. That should tell you something.

2. A grammar school buddy of mine's dad smoked cobs exclusively. Prince Albert if I recall correctly from over 40 years ago. He had dozens of cob pipes in his racks some with absolutely ridiculously thick cake on them. I remember he had a baggie of what looked 100 extra stems stashed with his tobacco in the cabinet.

If you don't abuse them (smoke in a stiff breeze) and are careful with them, they probably CAN last decades. I doubt there will be a restore market for them, but the original owners can smoke them for a long, long time.


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## JohnnyFlake (May 31, 2006)

From my experiences, cheap cobs, so called natural cobs, if smoked once or twice a day, can burn out in just a few months or may last near to a year, but not much more than that. The quality made cobs, which are soaked and coated, such as an MM Diplomat, Great Dane or Country Gentleman, etc, smoked a couple of times a day, if not abused, can last many years. You could buy 6 or 7 of the best Corn Cobs and a couple of dozen extra stems for less than a $100 and never have to worry about buying a pipe again for at least 5 and maybe even 10 years. 

Do you realize how much more tobacco you can stash, not having to worry about expensive, name brand pipes?


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## gahdzila (Apr 29, 2010)

I keep posting this pic in various threads, so I hope you guys don't get sick of looking at it. This is my favorite cob, a MM Diplomat with a Forever Stem. The pipe is one of my first pipes, is about 18 months old, and has been smoked hundreds of times. Notice the color change. The pipe beneath it is a MM Diplomat, brand new, only smoked once or twice, with the stock stem.










Anyway, point being - I've smoked the heck out of that pipe, and it's just as good as (actually _better than_, IMO) the day I bought it. I hope to smoke it for many years to come.


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## zx7rider (Jul 6, 2012)

I have a feeling that I might be cob smoker as well. I like the looks of briars, but I haven't found one I like enough to justify the cost. As far as life, I can't say because I've only recently started into pipes, All I know is mine is around 2 weeks old and holding up great.


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## gahdzila (Apr 29, 2010)

Some good info here:

The Complete Corncob primer - Pipedia

and

Missouri Meerschaum Corncob Buying Guide - Pipedia

Personally, I tolerate a tiny bit of cake in my cobs, but keep it reamed pretty thin. I do absolutely nothing else to the inside of the bowl. I do nothing to the outside of the bowl, save wipe any dirt off of it if I drop it in the mud or something  . I clean the stems and shanks with Everclear soaked pipe cleaners after every two or three bowls, then let the pipe rest at least a couple of days before smoking it again.


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## TommyTree (Jan 7, 2012)

gahdzila said:


> Some good info here:
> 
> The Complete Corncob primer - Pipedia
> 
> ...


I was going to comment, but if you've got the Corncob Primer and the buying guide, you've got as much info as you need. John Patton, the author of those, is probably the most knowledgeable person alive regarding corncobs. He also blends a mean tobacco. I recommend you try them out, as they were designed with cobs in mind, making them the best corncob tobaccos around. They're available only at 4noggins. I wholeheartedly recommend Cool Hand Fluke, Gold Nugget and Storm Front.


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## Stonedog (Mar 9, 2011)

I've had a Country Gentleman for about a year now and it's showing no signs of stopping. Some weeks I use it heavily (two or three times a day every day) and others I ignore it in favor of briars. I tend to clench it and have worn about half way through the cheap plastic stem so I'll be ordering replacements soon.



TommyTree said:


> I was going to comment, but if you've got the Corncob Primer and the buying guide, you've got as much info as you need. John Patton, the author of those, is probably the most knowledgeable person alive regarding corncobs. He also blends a mean tobacco. I recommend you try them out, as they were designed with cobs in mind, making them the best corncob tobaccos around. They're available only at 4noggins. I wholeheartedly recommend Cool Hand Fluke, Gold Nugget and *Storm Front*.


I haven't tried the others, but Storm Front is a fantastic blend. Highly recommended!


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Anybody else notice this little nugget in the primer?

*Dry your tobacco more than you think you need to. Pack it looser than you think you need to. Smoke it slower than you think you need to. Tamp it less, and more lightly, than you think you need to. Clean your pipes after every smoke, using pipe spirits of some sort. Don't worry if you have a few relights. And realize that becoming an accomplished pipe smoker will take time, patience, and trial and error. *


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## DSturg369 (Apr 6, 2008)

Good advice, except I don't use "pipe spirits" in my cobs. Liquid + cobs just don't mix well.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

DSturg369 said:


> Good advice, except I don't use "pipe spirits" in my cobs. Liquid + cobs just don't mix well.


Yeah, even for a briar that's a bit extreme in the cleaning department. I'd need 10 pipes to keep from getting drunk from smoking pipes full of booze fumes.


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## Blue_2 (Jan 25, 2011)

I destroyed my favorite Diplomat with everclear. Just say no to that idea.


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## mikebjrtx (May 21, 2012)

I have a Missouri Pride that had a tiny hairline crack about 1/4 inch down from the rim. It was trying to burn through in that spot so I've started smoking only PA as slow as I can to see if it will fill in with cake before it burns through. This is the only one I've had an issue with, but i'm still kinda new with pipes.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Blue_2 said:


> I destroyed my favorite Diplomat with everclear. Just say no to that idea.


Just thought I'd add that I have never used alcohol on my cobs.


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## Blue_2 (Jan 25, 2011)

freestoke said:


> Just thought I'd add that I have never used alcohol on my cobs.


Well, I had to be new and stupid once. :mrgreen:

Fortunately it was a cheap mistake, and it made me by a few (dozen) more.


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## JohnnyFlake (May 31, 2006)

mikebjrtx said:


> I have a Missouri Pride that had a tiny hairline crack about 1/4 inch down from the rim. It was trying to burn through in that spot so I've started smoking only PA as slow as I can to see if it will fill in with cake before it burns through. This is the only one I've had an issue with, but i'm still kinda new with pipes.


Take a cotton Q-Tip and try to fill the crack with honey and then smoke it a few times. That should seal the crack.


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## mikebjrtx (May 21, 2012)

JohnnyFlake said:


> Take a cotton Q-Tip and try to fill the crack with honey and then smoke it a few times. That should seal the crack.


Thanks, I'll try it. I saw the crack before I ever smoked it. The walls are very thin on this one.


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## Desertlifter (Feb 22, 2011)

Speaking of forever stems, which one is that?  It is hard for me to visualize the lengths of the various stems. Want to put together a churchwarden with a cob bowl. Perfect for Lakelands and VA flakes, IMO



gahdzila said:


> I keep posting this pic in various threads, so I hope you guys don't get sick of looking at it. This is my favorite cob, a MM Diplomat with a Forever Stem. The pipe is one of my first pipes, is about 18 months old, and has been smoked hundreds of times. Notice the color change. The pipe beneath it is a MM Diplomat, brand new, only smoked once or twice, with the stock stem.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## gahdzila (Apr 29, 2010)

Desertlifter said:


> Speaking of forever stems, which one is that? It is hard for me to visualize the lengths of the various stems. Want to put together a churchwarden with a cob bowl. Perfect for Lakelands and VA flakes, IMO


Lucite fancy, 4 3/4 inch, black marble. Not quite a churchwarden, it makes the Diplomat into more of a prince shape, I think. I like it a lot. When I bought it, my thinking was that I thought I wanted a churchwarden, but thought I would prefer lucite, so I got the longest lucite stem available. He has longer stems in vulcanite, but I am 100% happy with this one, and I don't think I would smoke a longer stem as often as I smoke this one. Long churchwardens are lovely, but they feel a bit cumbersome to me.


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## Gigmaster (Jan 12, 2009)

I have a few corncobs that are over 20 years old, and still smoke great. I haven't bought a new pipe in over 20 years. The bowls last several decades. The stems....well, not so much! Fortunately, replacement stems are easy to find. The bad thing is that a replacement stem costs almost as much as just buying a new cob pipe. But cob pipes quickly develop a relationship with you, like an old friend. I am willing to spend the money to save my trusted pipe, rather than buy a new one.


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## zx7rider (Jul 6, 2012)

well.. I have officially ordered a pair of country gentlemen. Looks like I'm continuing with the cob life.


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## JohnnyFlake (May 31, 2006)

zx7rider said:


> well.. I have officially ordered a pair of country gentlemen. Looks like I'm continuing with the cob life.


You won't be sorry! The Country Gent and the Diplomats are my favorite Cobs.


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## Gigmaster (Jan 12, 2009)

You'll like those pipes. Both of them are fine smokers.

I have 6 cob pipes, with the newest being 12 years old. I smoke all but one of them regularly. There has only been one cob pipe that I didn't like, and it was a gift from a dear friend, so it has a place of Honor in my pipe rack, even if it doesn't get smoked. The pipe in question is a Missouri Meechshcaum MacArthur pipe. This is a ridiculously large, heavy pipe made from a whole corn cob. It is too heavy to hold in the mouth for any length of time, holds almost a whole pouch of tobacco in it, and after the first 10 minutes or so, cannot be kept burning by any means, because air cannot circulate to the embers when it burns down a few inches. I think the pictures of MacArthur smoking this pipe (which was a gift to him, also) were just for publicity, and I doubt if the pipe was smoked very often. I have seen a lot more pictures of him smoking standard briar pipes, and cigars. In my opinion, this pipe is a monstrosity, ridiculous-looking, and is much more valuable as a conversation piece, than as a smoker.

If you ever run across any of them, a company called H & B makes some outstanding, and very artistic cob pipes. I have 2 of them. I am also fond of EA Carey's 'Whangee' pipes, even though they are not really cobs. I think they are made from bamboo, or a similar material. But they are great smokers.



zx7rider said:


> well.. I have officially ordered a pair of country gentlemen. Looks like I'm continuing with the cob life.


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## cardboardphone (Jul 24, 2012)

I have one that is six or seven years old, and one that is two years old. Both look like they will be serviceable for the foreseeable future!


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## Kevin Keith (Jan 24, 2010)

As you can see, KB, they can last a looong time!


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## dgerwin11 (Jun 19, 2011)

I figure mine to last quite a while. But I also have 16 in regular rotation, plus 3 meers and 1 briar. 2 of them will get heavy use for a day, cleaned and put back in the rack to await their next turn in about a week. i try to treat my cobs with respect. A well seasoned cob is a great pleasure to smoke. Every so often, if the weather co-operates with sunshine, low humidity and a decent breeze, I set them out to freshen.

Desertlifter, check out the link in my signature for some examples of cob wardens.


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## kbiv (Jul 30, 2010)

Glad to see that there's some good potential for them!


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